Can Marcus Smart have the same college transition into the NBA ad Damian Lillard

[D.o.s.]

5 Days 'til summer league.

[Mr October]

Yeah, i think it is wishful thinking that Smart is a nightmare for opponents as soon as he enters the NBA. What rookie really is a nightmare in the modern NBA anyway?

Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson maybe. Smart isn't in that class.

Smart's body and skill will make him a good player right away. Maybe he will average 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 steals in 25-30 minutes per game.

He wont be a matchup nightmare, he wont shoot like Lillard, but i think he will be effective, particularly as a physical defender, and contact initiator around the hoop.

[TwinTower14]

I felt from day 1 that Parker and Smart are the two best NBA players in this draft ( Embiid  is in the mix if healthy).  He does all the things you can't teach well ( Size, Athleticism, effort etc...). 

Him winning ROY is really going to depend if Rondo is on this team or not?  If Rondo is here, I think Smart will be a productive bench player that plays elite defense, gets to the line and gives incredible energy...

If Rondo is not here then I think he is a strong candidate for ROY because he will have the ball in his hands and playing 35 minutes a night and stuff the stat sheet like he did in college. 

I am a huge Smart fan I think he is a NBA All-Star during the prime of his career...

[CelticsFanFromNYC]

Once summer league hits you guys will start to realize just how big Smart is, and when preseason hits you'll really start to understand.

He's going to be one of the biggest matchup nightmares in the NBA, and we're lucky to not have to play against him.

Don't get me wrong.  I love Smart, and was really excited to pick him.  He was my #3 want behind Wiggins and Embiid.  But I think your expectations are unreasonable.  When he starts the regular season, he'll be playing 4 times per week instead of 2, in games that are 48 minutes long instead of 40, and that have many more possessions due to a shorter shot clock.  It will be more physically taxing than anything he's ever experienced.  At the same time, for the first time in his life he will not be the biggest/fastest/strongest player on the court, and the skill-level of the players will rise as well.

The likelihood that Smart comes in and excels on day 1 despite all this is pretty low.  He'll get beat a lot, and have to adjust.  He'll also get some rookie fouls called against him, and have to keep it under control.  I think he can do it eventually, and I'm really rooting for him, both as a fan and as a person who was so close to being another statistic.  But Day 1?  No, I think that's just unfair to expect.

When I think of Smart, I get the Oladipo comparison in my head. Some reason I hate and love victor's game at the same time. Personally, I feel Smart would have a field day against someone like Trey Burke who had a decent rookie season. Then again all I have seen were full runs on youtube of his better college games as a sophmore, draft workouts, and some highlight reels

[NorthernLightning]

Saltlover, I think you're underestimating his strength advantage at the next level, as well as the extra space with the deeper 3 point line and the Celtics bigs who can stretch the floor.

He's a mismatch nightmare, and he'll get to the hoop almost at will against NBA guards, using his strength advantage and hyper-aggressive mentality.

He's already used to high minutes, and playing them all with maximum effort as a do it all focal point. He's batttle tested and battle ready.

We also have great depth at guard, so he'll be able to get more rest than he did at OKS.

Again, once you see him standing next to and playing against other guards you think of as strong, you will realize how much stronger he is.

In some ways he's one of the very best athletes in this draft, and in the league, when you factor in his strength and endurance.

[NorthernLightning]

Yeah, i think it is wishful thinking that Smart is a nightmare for opponents as soon as he enters the NBA. What rookie really is a nightmare in the modern NBA anyway?

Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson maybe. Smart isn't in that class.

Smart's body and skill will make him a good player right away. Maybe he will average 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 steals in 25-30 minutes per game.

He wont be a matchup nightmare, he wont shoot like Lillard, but i think he will be effective, particularly as a physical defender, and contact initiator around the hoop.

Think about all the offensive rebounds, put backs, and post ups he's going to get against guards that weigh 15-40 pounds less than him.

As a comparison, it will be like watching Jeff Green trying to guard Jared Sullinger around the basket.

[D.o.s.]

Then again all I have seen were full runs on youtube of his better college games as a sophmore, draft workouts, and some highlight reels

I would wager that we're all working from largely the same data pool.

[bknova]

I felt from day 1 that Parker and Smart are the two best NBA players in this draft ( Embiid  is in the mix if healthy).  He does all the things you can't teach well ( Size, Athleticism, effort etc...). 

Him winning ROY is really going to depend if Rondo is on this team or not?  If Rondo is here, I think Smart will be a productive bench player that plays elite defense, gets to the line and gives incredible energy...

If Rondo is not here then I think he is a strong candidate for ROY because he will have the ball in his hands and playing 35 minutes a night and stuff the stat sheet like he did in college. 

I am a huge Smart fan I think he is a NBA All-Star during the prime of his career...

Again, I just don't get this.  Marcus Smart cannot play point guard in the NBA.  He is an off-guard, a scoring guard.  He can and will play next to Rondo.  When Rondo is off the floor he may be the guy bringing the ball up the floor but he will not be the guy initiating the offense.  By January he will be the starting 2 guard and Bradley will come off the bench as first guard (I'm still not sure why the C's resigned Bradley).  He and Parker are gonna finish one/two for ROY, not sure what order.

[Mr October]

Yeah, i think it is wishful thinking that Smart is a nightmare for opponents as soon as he enters the NBA. What rookie really is a nightmare in the modern NBA anyway?

Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson maybe. Smart isn't in that class.

Smart's body and skill will make him a good player right away. Maybe he will average 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 steals in 25-30 minutes per game.

He wont be a matchup nightmare, he wont shoot like Lillard, but i think he will be effective, particularly as a physical defender, and contact initiator around the hoop.

Think about all the offensive rebounds, put backs, and post ups he's going to get against guards that weigh 15-40 pounds less than him.

As a comparison, it will be like watching Jeff Green trying to guard Jared Sullinger around the basket.

He is not going to be able to dominate in the paint with NBA power forwards and centers grabbing most of the rebounds and protecting the basket. If Smart averages 4 rebounds per game, maybe 1 translates into a put back per game.

Also, Smart will be a rookie, and he is going to be getting tricked like most rookie do by all the veteran point guards and shooting guards.

Lastly, don't forget the refs. Unless you are a superstar like Lebron, the Officials are going to be whistle happy with Smart's physical game in the first year.

I really like Smart. I think he will be good next year. I just don't think he is going to be a nightmare that other team just can't handle.

[BballTim]

Yeah, i think it is wishful thinking that Smart is a nightmare for opponents as soon as he enters the NBA. What rookie really is a nightmare in the modern NBA anyway?

Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson maybe. Smart isn't in that class.

Smart's body and skill will make him a good player right away. Maybe he will average 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 steals in 25-30 minutes per game.

He wont be a matchup nightmare, he wont shoot like Lillard, but i think he will be effective, particularly as a physical defender, and contact initiator around the hoop.

Think about all the offensive rebounds, put backs, and post ups he's going to get against guards that weigh 15-40 pounds less than him.

As a comparison, it will be like watching Jeff Green trying to guard Jared Sullinger around the basket.

  Teams generally have bigs near the basket as well. It's been at least a few years since any pg averaged more than 1.5 OReb/game, so try and keep your projections realistic.

[NorthernLightning]

The Celtics' bigs can all stretch the floor. The paint will not be clogged with opposing centers and PFs most of the time.

Expect Coach Stevens and Smart to exploit this to the fullest.

[BballTim]

5 Days 'til summer league.

  I'm actually pretty psyched about it.

[D.o.s.]

5 Days 'til summer league.

  I'm actually pretty psyched about it.

Same. Esp. With Wimbledon and the World Cup winding down.

[BballTim]

5 Days 'til summer league.

  I'm actually pretty psyched about it.

Same. Esp. With Wimbledon and the World Cup winding down.

   I've been somewhat more interested in it since the year the Celts skipped it.

[Who]

I think rookie Marcus Smart will be a lot like rookie Russell Westbrook.

14-15ppg, 5rpg, 5apg (well less since Smart won't be playing PG so let's say 2-3apg) 1.5-2.5spg, around 40% FG% with a good number of FTA/FGA and quite a few turnovers thrown in for bad measure. I think Smart is more advanced defensively.